On Tuesday, March 17th, two fully renovated dorms at Hadassah Neurim Youth Village, near Natanya, were dedicated by KH Holland leader Louise Paktor.
The funds for this project were given by the Jaeger Foundation, created by Louise Paktor's father, Chaim Wolf (Willy) Jaeger, in his will. This fund has contributed to a wide range of projects all over Israel. A long-time KH major donor, Louise Paktor stated at the dedication ceremony that "Israel was the focus of Willy's life" and that her family has a very long relationship with Hadassah Neurim, dating back to the seventies of the last century. "We have come full circle today", she added [see full text of Louise Paktor's speech]. The ceremony took place on the day of Louise's father z"l’s birthday.
Hadassah Neurim children and staff, who were present at the ceremony, and expressed their appreciation to Louise and her family. Also present were Louise's husband, Menno Paktor, a former KH Holland Chairman and a current member of the KH Executive, and their children, Ilana and Yaron (with grandchild Samuel), as well as KH World Chairman, Amb. Avi Pazner, Director for Europe, Jacob Snir and other KH staff members.
"Louise Paktor is one of the foremost leaders in the world of Keren Hayesod”, said Amb. Pazner. "She is not only an extremely generous donor, who has done a great deal for the children of Israel, but is also very active in our International Women's Division and serves as an example to our volunteers all over the world. Keren Hayesod is extraordinarily proud to count her in the ranks of its leaders".
Louise Paktor's Speech:
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Welcome dear family and friends,
It is really wonderful to see so many of you here today: our friends from Keren Hayesod - Ambassador Avi Pazner, Yoav Sharon, and Yankele Snir; our friends from the Jewish Agency - Leah Golan and Amos Elad; and Dalia Cohen, from Hadassah Neurim.
Today I would like to commemorate my late father, Chaim Wolf Jaeger.
Exactly 95 years ago he was born in Galicia, nowadays, Ukraine, in a haredi family. Some months after his birth, World War I broke out. Since his father was enlisted in the Austrian army, his mother fled to Vienna with her five children - his first big trip; maybe this explains why he liked to travel so much. After the war, the family moved to the Netherlands and settled in the Hague, where three more children were born. Although the family was ultra Orthodox, they were also known as being very warm. Tzedaka was spelled with capitals; nobody would be turned away. |
After finishing high school, my father had to join the bakery. The bakery, called the Viennese Bakery, was set up some years before by his two older brothers and their father. He would have preferred to continue to study - and he learnt very quickly the skills to become a master baker. I still have the certificates at home! Who could have predicted in those years that being a baker would save his life in the Shoah?
Willy started to have a zest for life: traveling, dancing, amusing, but also reading and sports. Unheard of for his background – he even had a motorcycle. Sometime he would combine one or two hobbies: he would travel to Switzerland for winter sports! He also became more attracted by Zionism, instead of religion.
In 1941 – when Jews were restricted to Jewish clubs exclusively – he met Dick Teixeira de Mattos while playing table tennis. Dick introduced Willy to his sister Rita. Rita, being typical Rita, challenged him for a game. He thought he could win and she thought she could win. Although Willy was the loser, he won Rita. They married in November 1941, a wonderful love story which ended with his death in 2006. Liberated in the Dutch transit camp Westerbork in April 1945, they scrambled up. Life was not always easy, with all the losses of perished loved ones. Only a small bright spot: his nephew Jack had survived, so he became part of their family. 1948 was a very special year for him. Not only was I born, but three weeks after my birth, the State of Israel was proclaimed.
They started to rebuild the bakery; like everything else in his life, it was a success story. But Willy never really liked to be a baker, he was looking for another option. Since textiles were still very scarce, even with coupons, he thought it really was a challenge.
We all know the story. Teidem started in 1949 as a wholesale business with only two employees: Rita and he. Slowly, when the goods were less scarce, he started to expand by buying in Belgium, Germany, and Italy. He was able to travel again, partly business and partly pleasure.
Since he had more on his mind he thought about possibility to sell the merchandise in his own shops. In their partner Joop Hamburger, Rita and Willy not only found the best partner you could have wished, but Joop and his wife became best friends.
Teidem was expanding and expanding; they were not only wholesalers anymore, but also importers and exporters. More countries had to be visited, what a pleasure. Expanding his horizons, Willy and Rita traveled to the Far East in the beginning of the seventies. What an experience!
Since we hardly could deal with the stock in our warehouse, Teidem had to move. Willy was looking for new premises, and in 1975 we started to build a new office and warehouse. At the same time he started a Belgium office. And it was still expanding at this time with a German sales office. In Belgium, Teidem also built an office and a warehouse.
In 1986 we built a wonderful new complex in the Netherlands with a big warehouse. Looking at each other, Rita and Willy could hardly believe how their dream came true. Even a joint venture in Portugal was set up with our local agency. This was very special for our family since Rita’s family was expelled nearly 500 years ago from Portugal.
In 1995 Willy transferred the company to the younger generation: Menno and me. So he had even more time to travel and enjoy his two grandchildren, Ilana and Jaron.
The grandchildren were really Rita’s and Willy’s enjoyment of life. Family was very important for him after the tragic loss of his parents and siblings in the Shoah. His Israeli family was very dear to him, for him they were like siblings. In the fifties, he came with Rita to visit them here. Many more returns followed.
Israel was the focus of Willy’s life, not only family and friends, but to see how the State overcame all problems, to see how Jews became proud Israelis, but even more important, the role Israel played in creating another Jewry.
Rita and Willy were always very happy in Israel and I believe he sometimes regretted that he did not make Alyah after the second World War. He once explained to me that he believe he would not have been as successful in Israel as he was at home and thanks to his success he was able to be involved with so many projects and programs.
Rita and Willy did not only support Israel financially. When the late Leo Palache asked them to become active Keren Hayesod fundraisers in the Hague, they did not hesitate for a second. It lasted more than 25 years. I still remember the Six Day War: Willy did not go to the office but instead started to fundraise together with one of his best friends. They visited some captains of industry, who were so impressed to see how committed these two men were that they pledged on the spot.
How to describe Willy’s last act? Being as involved with Israel as he was, he believed that naming the State of Israel as one of the beneficiaries of his will should be the culmination. "Once a Zionist, always a Zionist" was his motto.
Our family has a very long relationship with Hadassah Neurim. It all started in the seventies of the last century, when our cousins Sima and Yuwal Jaeger worked and lived here for some years. You will not believe it but Sima worked in the Allon dorm. Since they were always visiting their relatives all over the country, they also came to Hadassah Neurim.
Today, we dedicated the Allon and Dekel Dorms in Willy’s memory. The cycle is closed now.
Thank you for being with us on his birthday; after the ceremony we will drink a lechaim.